


soft words flow like wine

by sammyspreadyourwings



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Sleepy Cuddles, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:21:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28717986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sammyspreadyourwings/pseuds/sammyspreadyourwings
Summary: Brian returns to his hotel room to swap out a shirt before going to an afterparty, he decides that taking a bath is a better use of his time.
Relationships: Brian May/Freddie Mercury
Comments: 13
Kudos: 30





	soft words flow like wine

**Author's Note:**

> Yesss, I have finally written something new!! Yay me! It's short, but I'm more excited that it's half decent!!

Brian groans as he enters the hotel room. His shoulder is aching from where Red had been hanging. The strap was a little too tight. He rolls the joint, before reaching up to rub the muscle.

Kicking off his shoes he wanders further into the hotel room. He goes to his bag to pull out a bottle of painkillers and he brushes his hand against the penguin bath bomb he had found in one of the airport shops. Roger had gotten bored, and their was flight four hours delayed due to weather. So, shopping they had gone, and then Roger had to spend the flight even more cramped because he bought too many things.

He swallows the pills dry and wanders over to the closet, glancing at the shirts he had hung up to keep them looking decent. He needs to change out of the one he is currently wearing, a clumsy fan had stumbled into him and spilled a bottle of water over his shirt.

Not that Brian is particularly worried about a water stain, but the fabric is white and thin, revealing everything underneath. He pushes his shoulder blades together and groans as his spine pops.

Brian hums again and unbuttons the shirt as he enters the bathroom. The tub is large, their management had gotten them an actual hotel for their New York shows, and he is covered in sweat and makeup. Strangely glitter too.

As he bends down to run the water, his back pops. The water takes only seconds to heat up. He dips his hand in the water, to check the temperature, not wanting to step into water that is already too hot. The warmth eases out the cramping in his hand from playing a three-hour show. Brian steps away and goes back to his bag and pulls out the bath bomb. The others were supposed to be heading to the after-party, and he promised to join them… but he is a rock star and being fashionably late is expected. There is time for a relaxing bath.

He starts pulling off the plastic wrapper and tosses it into the rubbish bin as he passes it. Brian almost feels bad, dropping the tiny friend into the water but supposedly there is a surprise inside. Closing his eyes, he lets it roll from his hand and it makes a soft sound as it splashes into the water.

Brian opens his eyes and looks down, drowning as the penguin’s eyes watch him as it melts.

He swallows the guilt, “sorry.”

The room is quickly filled with the mild scent of blueberries. Brian is quick to start unbuttoning his shirt. He hangs it up on the towel hook so that it dries evenly and hopefully won’t wrinkle too terribly. Brian heads back into the main room to grab his toiletries – and he should talk to management about this drop your bags and go to the venue form of touring – and digs around his bag for another scrunchy to keep the unknown soap from ruining his curls.

Brian pulls off his binder and lays it nicely on the edge of the bed, placing one hand over his chest and not looking at the full-length mirror attached to the bathroom door.

He finishes undressing, letting his pants hang up with his shirt and tossing his underwear into the corner of the bathroom. Brian finally steps into the water. He hums at the warmth and the mild scent of blueberries wafting up.

Brian ties his hair up into a messy bun before sinking down in the tub basin. It isn’t filled yet, and he feels tiny chunks of the bath bomb brush his legs. He curls his toes, and they wrap around something small and plastic. Brian lifts his leg out and drops the toy into his palm. It is a small penguin in a ski hat and sunglasses. Strangely, it reminds him of Roger, so he names it Reggie.

As the water reaches his upper back, he feels the aches and tension start to lessen. Once it hits his chin, he turns the faucet off. He plays with Reggie, waddling the penguin on the porcelain rim of the tub. Reggie slides down the sloped sides before swimming over to his hip bone and resting there.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

Brian startles, a yawn slipping out of his lips.

“Brimi, love?” Freddie whispers.

“Come in,” Brian calls, sinking a little further in the tub and crosses his legs.

Freddie is out of his leotard but still dressed to explore all the best clubs in New York – which means he is overdressed for a cocaine and cigar afterparty.

“Decided to not join us?”

“I would,” Brian replies.

Freddie sits down on the toilet, “you wouldn’t. The water is warm and you’re practically asleep now.”

Brian yawns again, “hey now, I could still party until 2 am.”

“2 am is our 20:00,” Freddie laughs, and then reaches down to pick up Reggie.

“Came in the bath bomb,” Brian explains, “he was separated from his Waddle because he got curious about the big star in the sky, which he almost found out to be an Antarctic research station.”

Brian lays his hand on the rim of the tub, palm upwards, “his name is Reggie.”

Freddie smiles, “cute.”

They sit in silence. Freddie wiggles the penguin in the air, occasionally glancing at Brian. Brian keeps slipping down into the warm water, but his shoulder has stopped hurting.

“Freddie?”

“Yes, dearest?”

“I think I want to stay in.”

Freddie sets Reggie on the sink and grabs Brian’s hand, squeezing it softly, “that’s fine. Are you hurting?”

“Not terribly. Too young for back problems.”

“And yet,” Freddie replies, “I’ll go get your towel.”

“I haven’t done anything.”

“Are you going to?”

Brian pouts, “no, but you could at least make me.”

“Like I could make you do anything,” Freddie lifts a brow, “haven’t managed it yet.”

“The fight is part of the fun.”

“Oh, it is. You stubborn little penguin,” Freddie bends down to give Brian a brief kiss on his temple, “I’ll be right back.”

“Mmkay,” Brian sighs dreamily, “I’m going to rinse this off. Who knows what this would do to my skin if I left it?”

“You did check the ingredients list… remember last time?”

“I did.”

As Freddie leaves the bathroom, Brian stands back up. He uses the showerhead, and he rinses the residue off as best he can considering he is seven centimeters taller than the nozzle.

Brian turns off the water when he hears the door close a second time and pulls the scrunchie out of his hair and lets it tumbles down his back. He wraps the towel around his body and shuffles out of the bathroom.

Returning a moment later to grab Reggie to place him in his bag so he doesn’t get left in this random hotel bathroom only to be discarded.

Freddie has politely turned away from him. Brian is quick to pull on a soft pair of shorts and a hoodie that he isn’t convinced is his clothing as it stretches over his shoulders and chest, and the sleeves stop halfway down his arms.

“My modesty is preserved,” Brian calls.

“Oh good,” Freddie rolls over, propping his head up on his arms, “I can go back to staring at my muse.”

Brian flushes, “flattery won’t get me in bed with you.”

“No, but only one bed will,” Freddie pats the space next to him.

“Touché.”

Brian crawls onto the bed and quickly curls up against Freddie. As usual, Freddie is warm and smells strangely of cardamon. Brian rests his head on Freddie’s shoulder and watches the grainy image on the telly.

“Roger and John go?”

“Hmm, yeah. There was a pretty bird Rog wanted to woo and Deaky is in one of his moods again.”

Brian wrinkled his nose, “wish Ronnie could travel with us.”

Freddie kisses his temple again, “Ronnie would tuck us all into bed right after our shows.”

“Will she give us our stuffed bunnies too?”

“Only if Robert hasn’t claimed them.”

Brian pushes up and catches Freddie in a kiss, “you can go you know.”

“Oh, I know,” Freddie returns the kiss, deepening it, “but I’m booked. Says so in my schedule.”

He chuckles and wraps his feet around Freddie’s leg, who shoves at him because his feet are already cold again, “and what does it say?”

“Spend the night cuddling pretty brunette.”

“And Deaky bailed?” Brian gasps.

Freddie steals another kiss nipping at Brian’s bottom lip when he pulls away, “believe it or not, he is my second choice.”

“I see why he is in a mood now.”

“Where did your drowsiness go?”

He feels Freddie’s fingers press on the top of his shoulder, easily finding one of the still tightly corded muscles. Brian sighs in relief and his eyes droop. At being reminded of his sleepiness Brian lets out another long yawn and settles mostly on Freddie’s arm.

“There it is.”

Brian swats at him but his hand is caught and brought to Freddie’s mouth. Freddie leaves a wet kiss on his palm.

“Sleep, love. Dream of Reggie and his scientist friends.”

This time he doesn’t want to fight against Freddie’s suggestion, and he is asleep before his eyes finish closing.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, please leave your thoughts and comments below or come talk to me on tumblr.


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